Israel was not created in order to disappear—Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom. - President John Kennedy

About Us

KosherTube.com is the website of The Riverdale Jewish Community Centre. It has been created to inform and educate members of the Jewish community and the general public about the practice of traditional Judaism and matters related to Israel and Jewish Culture.

Board of Directors

Rabbi David Ostriker

As Producer & Director-of-Photography, throughout the Cold War, Rabbi Ostriker's preparation for The Rabbinate came with the Khyber Rifles in the North-West-Territories of Pakistan, the Mujahadeen fighting the Soviets in the Mountains of Afghanistan, and with Jonas Savimbi in the Jungles of South Africa and Angola. Ostriker tracked Soviet and Cuban Spies, in France, the US, Canada, UK, the Middle East and Latin America.

Rabbi Ostriker received his Semicha from Rav Dovid Schochet the President of Vaad HaRabbonim, The Orthodox Council of Ontario in 2010.

Rabbi Ostriker is the Founder of KosherTube. He has served as the senior consultant to CTS’s “Messages”. Ostriker has served on the Executive Committee of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, and is a past Chair of the Canadian Independent Film Caucus and a founding Member of Hot Docs. He is a member of the Directors Guild of Canada and is a lifetime member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. He was a founding Board Member of Toronto Talmud Torah. He is a founder of the Riverdale Jewish Community. In Kosher Tube Rabbi David Ostriker has found the opportunity to use his forty years of media experience to make this world a better place.

Rabbinic Advisory Board

HaRav Dovid Schochet

Rav Dovid Schochet serves as the President of Vaad Ha Rabbonim (Orthodox Rabbinate) of Ontario, as well as the Chief Rabbi of the Canadian Lubavitch Community. With his analytical yet warm approach to unique questions that come his way, Rav Schochet continues to help thousands of people throughout the world. In addition, Rav Schochet is one of the three senior judges of the Central Lubavitch Beth Din servicing Chabad communities throughout North America. In this capacity he travels extensively examining prospective Rabbinic students as they seek to achieve ordination. In his travels the Rav also deals with various complex issues and adjudicates disputes concerning Jewish law.

Rabbi Glenn Black Rabbi Glenn Black is the first Chief Executive Officer of NCSY Canada. Rabbi Steven Burg, International Director of NCSY, declared, "Rabbi Black has 18 years of experience leading NCSY Canada, and has been instrumental in helping thousands of teens form a connection to Jewish observance. He is a dynamic leader who will undoubtedly use his numerous talents and skills in his new position as CEO to help the Canadian Region reach its optimal level of service to the Jewish people." Commenting on the new position Rabbi Black said, "My vision is to build on the incredible existing infrastructure of NCSY Canada to ensure that no Jewish teenagers get lost from their Jewish destiny," Rabbi Black declared. "I hope to accomplish this by empowering the NCSYers to discover their leadership potential, create a comprehensive training program to maximize the advisors' effectiveness, and involve parents to create an intergenerational connection. The opportunity is very exciting and I cherish the prospect of having an impact on the tapestry of our Jewish tomorrow.”

Rav Benjamin HechtRabbi Hecht the Founding Director of NISHMA.org, is recognized throughout North America and Israel for his study, insights and perspectives in the fields of Torah law and ethics. He serves as the editor of NISHMA's various publications and writes prolifically on Jewish thought and its interaction with the world political scene and the human condition. His work has been published internationally, including in The Toronto Globe and Mail, The Jewish Press and The Canadian Jewish News, and Rabbi Hecht has a regular monthly column in the Jewish Tribune. In addition to his rabbinical ordination, he holds degrees in law, psychology and business. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1982.

Rav Daniel Korobkin Rabbi Daniel Korobkin is Rav of the “BAYT” - Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto Congregation. The BAYT is one of North America’s largest and most diverse Orthodox synagogues. Rabbi Korobkin had been the spiritual community leader of Yavneh, a modern Orthodox community and Jewish day school campus in LA as well as the Director of Community and Synagogue Services for the West Coast Region of the Orthodox Union. Rabbi Korobkin authored a new translation of a classic 12th century Jewish philosophic work, "The Kuzari", the first English translation since 1905. In addition to his rabbinic experience in LA, San Diego and Allentown, Pennsylvania, Rabbi Korobkin earned a Masters of Science Degree from Johns Hopkins University and is a PhD candidate in Medieval Thought at UCLA. He and his wife Karen are the proud parents of 10 children.

Rav Mordechai Torczyner Rosh Beit Medrash of Yeshiva University Torah Mitzion Beit Midrash In 2009 Rabbi Torczyner became the founding Rosh Beit Midrash. Before that he was the spiritual leader of Congregation Sons of Israel in Allentown, PA from 2001 to 2009. Before that, Rabbi Torczyner served Congregation Ohawe Sholam/Young Israel of Pawtucket, Rhode Island for four years. Rabbi Torczyner spent two years at Yeshivat Kerem beYavneh, received his BA (Comp Sci) from YU and studied toward a Masters (Comp Sci) at New York University. He holds rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University's Rabbi Elchanan Theological Seminary. Rabbi Torczyner also spent three years (2007-2009) mentoring new pulpit rabbis across North America for Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future. He is serving his second term on the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Council of America, and has headed and served on various committees of the RCA. Rabbi Torczyner specializes in blending different areas of knowledge and utilizing diverse methods to develop curricula in Jewish history, Tanach and Jewish law. Examples of this include his TechnoShabbat, Tzibburology, Parenting from the Torah and “Jews and Food” curricula for adults.

Rabbi Bernie Moskoff Director, Campus Outreach for Ohr Somayach Canada, Bernie and his wife Michal happily maintain an “open-house policy” welcoming students for Shabbos and learning on an ongoing basis. As Director, of Campus Outreach, Bernie is a spiritual guide and a resource for University students who seek to develop their knowledge of Judaism. He leads programs that include retreats, trips around the world, classes, social events, and, of course, Shabbatons. Bernie completed his Semicha (Rabbinic Ordination) in Jerusalem and completed his Bachelors Degree in Business & Political Science at York University. He is a founder and Past Chairman of the Board of the Toronto Talmud Torah.

Founding Committee

Simcha Jacobovici is a multi award-winning documentary director and producer, as well as a lecturer & New York Times best selling author. His filmmaking awards include 3 Emmys for Outstanding Investigative Journalism, a certificate of Special Merit from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a Gold Medal from the International Doc.Festival of Nyon, 3 U.S. Cable Ace Awards, 2 Gemini awards, an Alfred I. Dupont-Columbia University Award and from the Overseas Press Club of America the Carl Spielvogel Award and Edward R. Murrow Award.

As a lecturer, Jacobovici has been a guest speaker at numerous conferences and on various campuses including Yale, Johns Hopkins, McGill, UCLA and York University. Mr. Jacobovici received a B.A. from McGill U. where he honoured in Philosophy and Political Science. He also has an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Toronto. He is presently an Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies at Huntington University, an affiliate of Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario. An Israeli-Canadian, Mr. Jacobovici is fluent in four languages: English, French, Hebrew and Romanian.

Robert Lantos was born in Hungary in 1949, Robert Lantos’ family emigrated to Uruguay in 1958 and then to Canada in 1963. In 1975, he founded RSL films. In 1985 RSL and Vivafilm merged with ICC to form Canada’s dominant film and television company Alliance Communications Corporation. In 1993 Mr. Lantos took the company public, Alliance became a major international force in filmed content production and distribution. In 1995 with the launching of Showcase and History Television, he also made Alliance a key player in broadcasting. In 1998, Mr. Lantos sold his controlling interest in Alliance and left the company in order to return full time to the creative process.

Mr. Lantos is passionate in his support and commitment to Israel. His first visit to Israel was in 1969, when he played Waterpolo for the Canadian team at the Maccabiah Games. Mr. Lantos travels to Israel regularly and has shot several films there including the 1986 HBO movie Sword of Gideon.

On ten occasions, a film produced by Mr. Lantos has been selected as the Opening Night Gala of the Toronto International Film Festival. His films have represented Canada nine times in the Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival. Robert Lantos’ films include Golden Globe Winners and Academy Award nominees as well as Cannes Grand Prix winners. Mr. Lantos' extensive television credits include the drama series Due South, North of 60, E.N.G, Bordertown, Night Heat and Counterstrike. He is an 8 time winner of the Gemini Award for Best Drama Series. Mr. Lantos is a member of the Order of Canada.

Naomi O. SeligmanNaomi is a Director of Akamai Technologies, Dun and Bradstreet, and Oracle Corporation. She is a Trustee of the Boston Science Museum. She was co-founder of the Research Board, a private sector institution sponsored by one hundred CIOs from the largest companies in North America and Europe. She received a B.A. with high honors from Vassar College and a graduate degree from the London School of Economics.

Mr. Ernest M. von Simson Ernie is a Director of Arcsight, BDNA, Optaros, and advises several other private technology companies. He was co-founder of the Research Board where he directed the professional staff into examinations of evolving business models, advanced technology, business applications and IT best practices. He holds a B.A. from Brown University and an M.B.A. from New York University. His articles have appeared in the Harvard Business Review, Computerworld and Fortune.

Larry Zeifman

Larry Zeifmanhas almost three decades of experience auditing public and private companies. After leaving a 'Big Four' firm in 1985 to join Zeifmans, Larry assumed the firm's Managing Partner position in 1988. Since then, Larry has played a key role in directing the firm’s development while overseeing the growth of Zeifmans’ diverse client roster.

Specializing in corporate auditing, mergers & acquisitions, and consulting, Larry is responsible for servicing many of Zeifmans' larger public and private corporate clients including those clients in the in the financial services and health care sectors. Larry’s clients rely on his advice on a range of domestic financial matters, as well as issues relating to global corporate environment. Under Larry’s leadership, Zeifmans has developed a reputation for industry leading internal processes and professional systems. Recognized as an expert in management issues and accounting technologies, Larry has become a highly-sought lecturer on these subjects. Larry’s position in Toronto, Canada combined with his understanding of global business environments, allows him to successfully serve as the Chair of Nexia Canada (the Canadian division of Zeifmans’ international accounting network), and the Deputy Chair of Nexia International’s marketing committee.

Larry is an active community volunteer. He is a past president of his synagogue, Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto Congregation, is the President of the Orthodox Union in Canada, and is a governor of Bnai Brith Canada. His passion for, and interest in the State of Israel, and his years of extensive global travel have helped Zeifmans’ clients do business successfully in Israel and other world markets.